LEMON MERINGUE PIE

The Crust:

1/2 tsp. salt

3 cups flour

1/2 cup cold shortening

½ cup butter

1 egg

6-8 Tbs. ice water

1 tsp. vinegar

½ cup graham cracker crumbs

The Curd:

sugar

corn starch

egg yolks

1 ½ cups water

1 Tbs. lemon zest

½ cup fresh lemon juice

The Meringue:

egg whites (at room temperature)

1 tsp. vanilla

sugar

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. cornstarch

Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.

Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture is crumbly and resembles coarse meal.

Beat the egg, vinegar, and 4 Tbs. of the water together in a separate bowl.

Using a fork, add the egg mixture to your other ingredients and combine until the whole mass begins to stick together. You may have to add additional small amounts of water. However, make sure not to overwork it and ruin your flaky crust. The consistency should hold together but still have visible chunks of butter and shortening in the dough. Turn onto the counter top, divide in half, and gently press together to form into 2, 1-2" thick discs. Wrap each disc in saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You will only need one disc for this recipe, so you can either use the other for another pie or freeze for up to 3 months.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Dust the countertop with half of the graham cracker crumbs and place the dough disk on top. Dust the top of the dough with remaining crumbs. Roll the dough into a 14" disk and place in a pie plate. Crimp the edge to form a crust. Line the crust with foil and push to maintain the shape while baking. Bake for 15 minutes until crust is set. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes until golden.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolk in a large sauce pan. Place pan over medium heat and gradually add the water, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Let cook for 5-7 minutes whisking constantly until thickened. Add the zest and lemon juice and continue to whisk until boiling and a luxurious thick curd forms. Set aside and cover with plastic wrap to keep a 'skin' from forming on the curd.

Beat egg whites and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer until frothy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

Remove the saran wrap and bring the curd back to a boil. Pour immediately into the crust and top with the meringue using the back of a spoon to form stiff peeks.

Bake for

Dessert

Vegetarian